Hi, I'm Wendy Simmons, the School Counselor at BEST High School and Snoqualmie Elementary School. I am enjoying my seventh year at these wonderful schools. I also work as a Private Therapist through the brand new Lifehouse in Redmond. In my spare time I am President/CEO of Rock School.

I grew up in Seattle and attended high school in the Shoreline School District. I am proud to say that I am a Seattle native and love living in the Northwest. I received my AA Degree from North Seattle Community College and my BA in Psychology from Seattle University. I have been working with kids, teens and families in the fields of social work and counseling for the past 13 years. In 1995, I returned to school at Seattle University to begin working on my Master of Arts Degree in Education and on my School Counseling Credential (ESA). Ever since I was in high school, I have wanted to be a high school counselor. After spending many hours in my own high school counselor's office and seeing the difference he made in my life, I knew that it was my calling as well. I remember telling him then that I wanted to do what he did and he said to me that I would have to do it because it was what I was called to do, not for the money. Taking his words of wisdom into account, I decided against going to law school and decided I would only be truly happy if I followed my heart. I took the leap and applied for the School of Education's Counseling Program at Seattle University and worked harder than I could ever have imagined for the next 3 years. I transferred to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles for a semester in 1996, after hearing that they had a great program and needing a change of scenery. I had dreamt of going to UCLA or Berkeley for my BA and thought that I now had my chance to live in sunny California. I soon realized that the program at Seattle University was much better and packed up all my stuff (including my two cats and my dog) and gave my parents the best Christmas present ever by telling them I was moving home to Seattle. The best part of coming back to Seattle for me was the chance to do my internship with the man who had inspired me to be a school counselor in the first place. What a trip that was! Coming back to my old school district as an intern and learning the ropes from my first mentor. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

Prior to finishing my coursework at Seattle University, I began working in a program (FamilyNet) on the Eastside doing family support work and individual, group and family counseling, among many other things (kinda like my job here!) about 8 years ago. The transition to the Eastside was a big one for me, I had always worked in low-income neighborhoods in the Seattle and South King County areas prior to crossing the lake. My friends would laugh and say things like "oh, you want an easy job now, the kids and families over there don't have real problems." Were they ever wrong! I have worked harder than I ever have in my life and I love it over here! I still live in Seattle though, so if I'm late, I am sitting on 520...I spend a lot of time on that bridge plotting my next group session or thinking about my kids and hoping they will be okay. I love living in the city though and am willing to do the commute to be close to friends, family and the things that I enjoy doing in the city.

Working at BEST, Snoqualmie, Rock School and doing private practice has made me more fulfilled than I have ever been in my life. I am truly living my dreams and following what is in my heart for me to do.


So, what is it that I do here? Mainly, I provide individual counseling, crisis intervention, referrals, teach sober support, provide group counseling (such as Relationships, Stressed Out!, and GSA), and other job duties as needed (word of advice guys...be leery of that at the bottom of the job description). My main goals in working with students is to help them get in touch with what is in their hearts and to help them find their own paths in this world.

What I love about being at BEST:

The students - you truly are the most amazing people I have ever worked with - you guys rock!

The staff - I could not make it through it all without you!

What I do when I am not at work:

I really do have a life outside of school you guys! I like to spend time with my friends, family and my cat (Tigger). I love music and seeing live bands is one of my favorite things in the world. My house also looks like Tower Records (has to be seen to be believed). I love to travel and explore new places. When the weather's nice (those rare occasions when it is not raining) I like to go hiking, biking and kayaking. I love the water and dream of someday having my own Seadoo and a jeep to tow it and a place on a lake....yeah, that could be good.